Automatic ringlet curler



Sept. 19, 1939. N; L. SOLOMON AUTOMATIC RINGLET CURL-ER Filed Aug. 14,1937 INVENT A'ITORNEY Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES sATI-LNTOFFICE 15 Claims.

The present invention has to do with curling hair and specifically dealswith an improved and efficient curling device for readily formingringlet curls. The object of the invention resides in the provision of aclasp for initially clamping a strand or tress of hair and a removablyrotatable key adapted to be projected into the clasp for curling thehair between the jaws of the clasp to form a ringlet curl. Otherobjects, advantages and features of the invention will appear from thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a view of the clasp according to the invention attached toa strand or tress of hair before the latter is curled into ringletformation.

Fig. 2 is a view of the clasp embracing a ringlet curl.

Fig, 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clasp along the line 3-3of Fig. 2 but illustrating .a removable key in part therein after havingwound the tress grasped by the jaws.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the clasp shown in Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the clasp shown in Figs. 1-4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the detachable and rotatable key,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a. slightly modified clasp.

Fig. 8 is a side view of Fig. 7. I V

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modified clasp, and

Fig. 10 is a side view of the clasp shown in Fig. 9 associated with aremovable key of the type shown in Fig. 6.

The ringlet curler according to the invention comprises a hair clasp Cand a removable key K. The clasp includes complementary hair clampingjaws l0 and l I having lugs l2 pivotally supported on fulcrum pin orshank 13 of rivet M which has its outer ends upset to preventdisplacement along shank l3 of the normally diverged and reinforcedmanipulating portions I5 extending from the jaws.

Cooperating with the manipulating portions l5 are the outer terminals I6of a coiled spring I! having its inner end abutting fulcrum pin or shankIS. The action of terminals [6 is to normally hold the manipulatingportions l5 diverged for holding the jaws closed as shown in Fig. 4.

Each of the jaws II] and l l of the clasp is provided with a centrallyarranged aperture or opening [8 which removably receive a reducedbifurcated depending portion I9 of the member or key K, the arrangementbeing such that when a strand or tress of hair is interposed between andclamped by the jaws of the clasp, as shown in Fig. 1, a portion of thetress is accessible and disposed across the alined openings [8.

The reduced depending part or fork IQ of the key is then inserted intoone of the openings l8 and over the portion of the tress traversingthese openings whereby the legs Zflof fork l9 straddle the exposed andaccessible part of the tress which serves as the origin of the ringletcurl to be formed,

The upper expanded part 2| of key K forms with the reduced fork [9 anannular stop shoulder 22 which limits the insertion of the fork 19 intothe alined openings IS, the inner faces of which serve as annularbearings to guide the rotational displacement of the fork at a time whenthe handle 2| is rotated.

During such rotation, the tress, now straddled and grasped by the fork,starts to wind about the reduced fork i9, thus translating the formerlyrelatively straight tress held under slight compression between the jawsof the clasp into a plurality of successive convolutions. In otherwords, the reduced fork winds the tress but always against theresistance of the pressure imparted by the perforated jaws due to theaction of the coiled spring ll. 7

Having completely wound up the tress between the jaws, the reduced forkis removed from the sides of the ringlet curl now formed between thejaws and from the alined openings or bearings of the latter. This maybeconveniently accomplished by applying an outward thrust to the handle 2|of the key.

With the key removed from the jaws of the clasp, the ringlet curl formedis left therein under pressure created by the jaws due to the action ofthe coiled spring. To remove the ringlet curl, the operator merely movesthe manipulating portions of the clasp towards each other, thusseparating the jaws and the latter maybe readily removed from sides ofthe formed ringlet curl which now sustains itself in form withoutrequiring external support.

In the embodiment of the clasp according to Figs. 7 and 8, the jaws l0and H thereof are bowed, that is, these jaws have convex surfaces facingeach other and projecting from these surfaces are a plurality ofradially but spaced ribs 23 emanating from the circumferential edges ofopenings l8 of each jaw. The object of these ribs is to preventaccidental displacement of the ringlet curl after it has beenformedbetween the jaws. In other aspects the embodiment according toFigs. 7 and 8 is along the lines of the form illustrated in Figs. 14inclusive and is utilized in a similar fashion in connection with a keyof the type shown in Fig. 6.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the clasp is in the form of aone piece U shaped loop of sheet metal having jaws or arms I0 and I lintegrally merged to a U shaped bend or elastic joint 25. Each of thesejaws also includes a free outwardly extending terminal 26 or lip tofacilitate the insertion of a tress of hair into the clasp. The inherentresiliency in the bend tends to hold jaws l0 and I I closed, forexample, as shown in Fig. 9. In similar fashion, the constructionaccording to Figs. 9 and 10 cooperates with a key K of the type shown inFig. 6.

While I have described my invention in detail and have referred tospecific applications thereof, I do not intend that the severalembodiments herein disclosed shall be limited to such specificapplications, but intend that all matter contained in the abovedescription and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In combination, opposed and separable jaws defining a clasp forclamping a tress of hair, and key means disposed substantially normal tosaid jaws and removably projectable into at least one of the latter tograsp a portion of said tress interposed between said jaws for curlingsaid tress.

2. In combination, opposed and separable pivotally interconnected jawsdefining a clasp adapted to removably grasp a tress of hair, and keymeans adapted to be mounted on said clasp for grasping a portion of saidtress to wind the latter in said clasp.

3. In combination, a clasp having opposed, separable, and bowed jaws forremovably grasping a tress of hair, and key means removably mounted onsaid clasp and adapted to grasp a portion of said tress to wind saidportion between said jaws.

4. In combination, a clasp having juxtapositioned and opposing jaws forremovably grasping a tress of hair, key means removably mounted on saidclasp and adapted to grasp a portion of said tress to wind said tressbetween said jaws, and spring means for compressing the tress woundbetween said jaws.

5. In combination, a clasp having juxtapositioned and separable jaws forgrasping a tress of hair and including means for exposing a portion ofsaid tress interposed between said jaws, and means for grasping saidportion to wind said tress about said portion to form a ringlet curl.

6. In combination, a clasp having juxtapositioned and separable jaws forremovably grasping a tress of hair and including means for exposing aportion of said tress, and a key adapted to be mounted on said clasp andhaving a forked part adapted to straddle said exposed portion to windsaid tress about said portion to form a ringlet curl.

7. In combination, a clasp having juxtapositioned and separable jaws forremovably grasping a tress of hair and having bearing means adapted toexpose and render accessible a portion of said tress between said jaws,a key rotatively guided by said bearing means and having means adaptedto straddle said accessible portion of said tress to roll the latterabout said accessible portion, and spring means for resisting separationof said jaws during rotation of said key.

8. In combination, a clasp having juxtapositioned and separable jaws forremovably grasping a tress of hair and including bearing means adaptedto expose and render accessible a portion of said tress between saidjaws, a key rotatably guided by said bearing means and including meansadapted to removably straddle said accessible portion of said tress torole the latter about said accessible portion to form a plurality ofconvolutions, and spring means cooperating to compress said convolutionsduring rotation of said key relative to said jaws.

9. In combination, a clasp having pivoted juxtapositioned and separablejaws for removably grasping a tress of hair and including alinedopenings for rendering accessible a portion of said tress interposedbetween said jaws, a rotatable member having a fork adapted to beremovably inserted in and rotatably guided by said openings to straddlesaid accessible portion, said fork upon rotation of said member causingsaid tress to roll up about said accessible portions to form a pluralityof convolutions, and spring means to resist separation of said jawsduring rotation of said member and for compressing said convolutions.

10. In combination, a clasp having pivoted and separable jaws forremovably grasping a tress of hair and including alined openings forrendering accessible a portion of said tress interposed between saidjaws, a rotatable member having a fork adapted to be removably insertedin and rotatably guided by said openings to straddle said accessibleportion, said fork upon rotation of said member causing said tress toroll up about said accessible portion to form a plurality ofconvolutions, manipulating portions extending from said jaws, and springmeans cooperating with said manipulating portions to resist separationof said jaws during rotation of said member and sustain saidconvolutions under pressure between said aws.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said member comprisesan upper expanded part constituting a handle and a depending partconstituting said fork.

12. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said rotatable memberincludes means to limit the insertion thereof into said clasp.

13. In combination, opposed, juxtapositioned and separable jaws defininga clasp for gripping hair, and a key disposed substantially normalthereto and adapted to grasp a portion of said gripped hair to wind thelatter about said gripped portion to form a plurality of successiveconvolutions during rotation of said key.

14. The combination according to claim 13 characterized in that saidclasp includes bearing means for guiding the rotational displacement ofsaid key and includes a plurality of ribs to prevent slippage of saidconvolutions formed within said clasp.

15. In combination, a clasp having bowed and separable arms adapted tograsp a tress of hair, and a key insertable in said clasp to wind saidtress between said arms.

NATHAN L. SOLOMON.

